Page 105 of Playing Hard to Hate
Dustin’s face hardened at my words, his jaw clenching. I could feel the weight of every syllable hanging in the air between us. His protective nature was obvious, but so was the guilt that lined his expression as I brought up the past. He didn’t respond immediately, and for a moment, I almost thought he was going to walk away. But then his gaze sharpened, locking with mine.
“I’m not saying you can’t make your own decisions, Tate,” he said, voice low but steady. “I’m just saying that the guy you’re with…broke your heart. You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. I know you think you’re all grown up now, but I’ve seen the damage that can be done by guys like him.”
I felt a sudden rush of heat in my chest. The nerve of him to tell me what I could and couldn’t do, to assume he knew better than I did about my own life. A wave of frustration pulsed through me.Who the hell did he think he was to barge into my life now and tell me who I should and shouldn’t be having sex with?
“And who are you to tell me what’s right for me?” I snapped, taking a step forward. “You left me and Mom, Dustin. You left when we needed you the most. You don’t get to walk back into my life and try to control it now.”
His expression faltered for a split second, but he quickly masked it with frustration and anger. His eyes flicked to Griffin, then back to me, his voice coming out harsh.
“Griffin doesn’t care about you, Tate. You think this is some fairy tale? You think he’s the guy who’s going to make everything right? I’ve seen his type before. He doesn’t care about you the way I do. The way your family should.”
I swallowed hard, the knot in my throat tightening. The words felt like a slap, but they didn’t hurt the way I thought they would. Because deep down, I knew he was wrong. Griffin cared. Maybe more than he knew.
“You left, Dustin,” I said quietly, my voice trembling but firm. “You left when I needed you, and now you’re trying to run my life. Maybe it’s time for you to step back and trust me to make my own decisions. I thought we were making progress last time you came to visit, but the way you are acting now is like going ten steps back.”
The room felt smaller with every breath, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. My hands balled into fists at my sides.
Then Griffin’s voice cut through the silence, calm and grounded. “You’re not the only one who cares about her, Dustin. But that doesn’t mean she can’t make her own choices. You’ve got to stop acting like you’re the only one who’s allowed to protect her.”
Dustin’s eyes flickered to Griffin, the weight of his words sinking in. He hesitated, but only for a second. “I’m just trying to make sure she’s safe.”
“I know you are,” Griffin said, his tone softer now, almost understanding. “But she’s not a child anymore. She’s her own person. And I’m here for her. You’ve got to let her make her own decisions.”
I could feel the tension between the two of them, like a tug-of-war that neither of them would ever win. But for the first time in a while, I realized I’m the one who held the power in this situation. And maybe that’s what scared them both the most.
I looked back at Dustin, my voice steady but filled with emotion. “I’m not a little girl anymore, Dustin. I’ve been through a lot, and I can take care of myself. But if you want to keep protecting me, maybe you should start by respecting my choices.”
Dustin stared at me for a long moment, then exhaled sharply, frustration and uncertainty clouding his eyes. He didn’t respond. Instead, he took a step back, his hand running through his hair in a frustrated gesture.
Dustin’s footsteps faltered for a moment before he turned back to face Griffin. The weight of the tension between them felt like it could snap, but then, to my surprise, Dustin exhaled heavily and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
“I’m sorry, Griffin,” he said, his voice low but sincere. “I’ve been acting like a protective older brother, and I’m not trying to start shit with you.”
He paused, swallowing, his shoulders slumping slightly. “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. I don’t want to see Tate hurt, and I think I’ve been projecting all my own shit onto you.”
Griffin looked at him for a long moment, his eyes studying Dustin. It was clear he was weighing everything, but then he nodded, his jaw tightening as he responded, his voice steady but firm.
“I get it. You care about her. But you’ve got to understand, Dustin. She’s not the same girl anymore. She’s strong. And I’m not going to hurt her. I’d die before I let anything happen to her.”
Dustin winced at the intensity in Griffin’s words, but instead of backing away, he stepped forward, his voice quieter this time. “I’m sorry for being an asshole, man. I should’ve trusted her judgment.”
There was a long pause between the two of them, and for a moment, I almost thought they’d just stand there awkwardly forthe rest of eternity. But then Griffin stepped to the side, his hand waving toward the open door.
“You want to come inside? We can talk about what happened at Tate’s condo. I know it wasn’t easy for you either.”
Dustin hesitated for just a beat before nodding, the storm that was in his eyes earlier starting to settle. “Yeah. I think we should.”
Griffin gave him a small, understanding nod before looking back at me. His gaze softened as his hand rested gently on my shoulder.
“You all right?” he asked quietly, his thumb brushing the skin of my arm, grounding me.
“Thank you,” I whispered, the words heavy with everything I couldn’t quite say.
Griffin stepped toward me, his hand reaching out to rest on my shoulder, pulling me close as he kissed the top of my head. “You don’t have to thank me, Tate. I’m here for you. Always,” he said, softly enough for only me to hear.
For the first time in a long while, I felt like I might actually be able to breathe again.
Dustin stepped into the condo, and I followed behind, my mind racing. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, but something about the shift in Dustin’s tone, his willingness to apologize, and Griffin’s calm demeanor gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, things could start to change between the three of us.
